ITG, IBM Launch Region’s First e-Learning Software on Linux

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ITG’s EduWave, the Jordanian e-learning platform, has been ported to run on the open source Linux operating system using IBM’s WebSphere and DB2 in a joint effort between ITG and IBM.

 IBM and Integrated Technology Group (ITG), a leading Jordanian software house, have announced today the completion of a major project where they have ported an open standards version of ITG’s EduWave e-learning platform to run on the Linux operating system. As a result of this joint effort, IBM will support EduWave as part of its open source e-learning solution platform for Middle East markets. EduWave, the comprehensive K-12 e-learning platform in Jordanian schools, has been deployed in over 3,000 schools in Jordan and has also been deployed in a number of school districts in the US state of New Jersey.

 

“EduWave is a great product that has the potential to revolutionise learning and learning management in the Middle East and beyond and we are delighted to be able to work with ITG to bring this highly advanced product to our customers,” said Bashar Kilani, Manager of IBM Software Group Middle East and North Africa.

The new version of EduWave will enable Middle East-based educational authorities to specify and deploy open standards-based national e-learning initiatives, using the Linux operating system rather than being ‘locked in’ to proprietary software environments. The move to embrace open standards in the region has already seen the government of Bahrain adopting Linux as the core operating system of its national e-government initiative.

“We believe that the availability of EduWave on Linux is critical to Government education authorities in the Middle East and beyond as many are now evaluating, and in many cases adopting, open source platforms as they build national e-government and e-education initiatives. We’re delighted to have worked together with the IBM team to enable this important move.” Said Walid Tahabsem, chief executive officer of ITG.

The move follows an intensive development effort between teams from  ITG and IBM, which provided extensive assistance in porting the program to the open source Linux platform, running on IBM’s WebSphere middleware. The Linux version of EduWave also uses IBM’s DB2 open standards-based relational database technology. Following extensive product evaluation by IBM’s architects, the project was supported by teams of developers and consultants from IBM’s Technical Development Centre in Cairo, which provides software development resources and support for Middle Eastern and global IBM projects.

“EduWave has an important role to play in the development of the Middle East’s e-learning markets,” said Kilani. “We will be supporting EduWave as part of IBM’s e-learning offering in the Middle East and together with ITG, we will be able to offer the system to the regional governments who are now demanding a Linux based alternative.”

EduWave is a learning management, instructional management, schools management, and content management system that provides a single, integrated resource for ‘e-learning’. The system integrates financial and management information capabilities for schools management with curricular and classroom management. EduWave allows teachers to access curricular material and monitor student performance and attainment and gives online access to curricular content, school related information and student attainments to parents.  The system is available in two editions; EduWave (K-12) and EduWave (Higher-Ed), and has been deployed to serve over 3,000 schools in Jordan, some 1.2 million students, over 50,000 teachers and some 5,000 administrators. The system has been adopted by the Jordanian government as its core national e-learning platform.

EduWave is also being deployed as the core e-learning platform in a number of school districts in the US state of New Jersey. In addition, EduWave is being evaluated by ministries of education in several Middle East and European countries as they move towards building national e-learning initiatives.

“The opportunities in the regional and global e-learning market are enormous and EduWave stands as a unique product,” said Tahabsem. “It is the only comprehensive system being used ‘live’ today on a countrywide level in the region, supporting multiple integrated features and languages. We have also developed a vast range of curricular content from K-12, designed specifically for the educational needs of this region. We believe that our strong and ongoing relationship with IBM will consolidate that strong leadership position.”

ABOUT IBM

IBM is the world’s largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate.  IBM offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that enable telecommunications service providers and equipment suppliers to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. IBM Global Services is the world’s largest information technology services provider and is the fastest growing part of IBM, with nearly 150,000 professionals serving customers in 160 countries. IBM Global Services has about 150 data centres around the world keeping thousands of businesses running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information on IBM, visit www.ibm.com

Media Contact
Alexander McNabb or Taline Tutunjian
Spot On Public Relations
Tel: +9714 3491686; Fax: +9714 3493245
E-mail:
alexm@spotonpr.com or talinet@spotonpr.com

ABOUT ITG

Established in Jordan in 1989, Integrated Technology Group (ITG) operates through three subsidiaries; EPOCH Technologies, JAID Productions and TriAx Automation, each optimizing its resources and delivering technologies and solutions to the Global Markets in the areas of software development, new media and multimedia solutions, and process automation respectively. ITG’s flagship areas are:

  • e-Learning Solutions (EduWave™ (K-12), EduWave™ (Higher-Ed), and e-Content Development).
  • ERP Solutions in three vertical markets: Government (GRP), the Manufacturing Sector (Pharmaceutical Industries and Food Industries), and Dealership Management.

For more information on EduWave and other ITG products and solutions, please visit the company’s website at www.itgsolutions.com

Media Contact

Batoul Ajlouni, VP/Business Development

Integrated Technology Group

Tel: +962 (6) 461-8133

Fax: +962 (6) 461-8115

E-Mail: ajlouni@itgsolutions.com